


Missing Scene to Red Soprano's Go Cart Charlie

by GSister



Category: Numb3rs
Genre: Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-11-09 06:50:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11099166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GSister/pseuds/GSister
Summary: Missing Scene from Red Soprano's "Go Cart Charlie".    I think it can stand on it's own, but it makes much more sense if you read that first.





	Missing Scene to Red Soprano's Go Cart Charlie

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Go Cart Charlie](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/296373) by Red Soprano. 



> Author's Note: There comes a time in the life of every fandom (you hope) that the fan fiction inspired is so well written, that it inspires its own missing scenes or sequels. Red Soprano's "Go Cart Charlie" is one such fan fiction. Humbly submitted for your approval, is this missing scene. (And I know it was missing, because I looked for it. I was so sure that it was in there the first time I read the story, because the original is so well written, that I could just 'see' this scene.) 
> 
> Special thanks go to Devra, who graciously beta'd for me, and of course, to Red Soprano, who inspired it with her original. 
> 
> Thanks also go to BMP, for encouraging me to write all these years, and for hours upon hours of debating the characterization and actions of people that are only real in our imaginations. Also to Wolfpup for making and managing the Numb3rs archive, and to the great people at Numb3rCrunching for hours of informative discussion on the characterization, motivations, and backgrounds of the characters of Numb3rs. 
> 
> All characters belong to CBS, Paramount Pictures and Scott Free Productions. 
> 
> ~Constructive Criticism will be graciously accepted  
> ~Flames will be used to toast marshmallows
> 
> As said above, it is a missing scene, and as such, it will make more sense if you have read Red Soprano's "Go Cart Charlie" first. (http://web.archive.org/web/20081222065306/http://www.idol-pursuits.tv:80/redsoprano/redsoprano1.html)

FBI Agent Don Eppes rushed into the Emergency Room entrance of the hospital. He stopped to look around the waiting area, and not seeing his father, strode purposefully to the reception area. He automatically flipped open and presented his badge as he identified himself to the clerk at the desk. "I'm Don Eppes; I'm looking for my father, Alan Eppes. The ambulance just brought my brother Charlie in; he'd been hit by a car." 

The clerk looked up as the handsome man approached her counter. Taking in his request, she quickly tapped a few keys on her computer keyboard, and brought up the proper screen. "Ok, I see here that your brother is in x-ray, and I have your father in trauma room 3." She paused to lean over the desk and indicate the proper line on the floor. "If you follow the red line on the floor, it will take you to the ER, and you want the second room on the left." 

"Thank you." Don pushed himself away from the desk, and, quickly finding the appropriate line, followed the indicated directions. He momentarily wondered at her phrasing, but decided that his father was probably waiting in the exam room with Charlie's personal effects until the youngest Eppes returned from x-ray. He was, therefore, unprepared for the reality of what he found. 

When Don located the proper room, labeled 'Trauma Rm. 3' by a small sign protruding from the wall, he ducked his head in, intending to ask his father about Charlie. Instead of finding Alan Eppes seated in a chair by the bed, Charlie's possessions at his side, he found the shirtless senior Eppes reading a magazine while reclined in the bed, hooked up to various machines with the adhesive disks and monitor wires attached in a seemingly random pattern on his chest. 

"Dad!" Don blurted out, hurrying into the room. 

Alan put down the magazine as his oldest son rushed to his side. "I'm alright, Donnie. I'm fine." 

"This doesn't look fine! Are you okay? What happened?" 

"I'm just fine, now. This is just a precaution," Alan Eppes reassured. 

"A precaution? For what?" Don wouldn't let himself think the obvious. His father, in a hospital bed, attached to what appeared to be a heart monitor... No. He wasn't going there. 

Alan reached out and grabbed his son's hand as soon as he was close enough. The strong, warm grip did more to reassure the FBI agent than any verbal reassurances Alan could give. "I'm afraid I didn't take seeing your brother get hit by a car very well. One of the bystanders was a nurse; she insisted that I get checked out, just to be safe." 

"But you're okay?" Don confirmed, knowing there was more to it than Alan's statement; but knowing that his father would not want to worry him if, in fact, everything was fine now. 

"I'm sure. The doctor just wanted to keep me under observation for a little while, just until they have a room ready for Charlie. They thought this would be more comfortable than sitting in the waiting room." 

"You're sure?" Don asked again, willing to let himself be convinced in spite of his worry. 

"Yes! Now stop worrying about me. I'm just fine. It's Charlie we need to be concerned about now." 

"How's he doing? The nurse said he was in x-ray." Don felt a moment of guilt that he had forgotten the reason he had rushed down here. 

"It looks like he has a concussion, but they weren't sure about his back." Alan couldn't hide the fear in his eyes. 

"His back? Do they think it's... I mean, that he'll..." 

"It could just be a sprain, but they didn't want to take any chances," Alan tried to reassure his son. Strange, he always thought it would be Don that would get seriously injured, due to the inherent danger of his job. Not Charlie. 

"Okay, okay." Alan watched Don visibly take control of his emotions. "So, no news is good news, right? I mean, until we know different, Charlie's gonna be just fine," Don said firmly. He changed the subject. "Allison may have given us a lead on the guy that hit Charlie. Terry and David are looking into it. I wanted to see how Charlie was doing before I got back out there." 

"A lead?" 

"Yeah, she says she kept seeing a license plate that says SCI-BRO. They're running the plates." 

Before he could say anything further, a doctor entered the room. "Mr. Eppes? We'll be bringing your son back from x-ray in a minute. There was no evidence of trauma to his spine or spinal cord. He does have some nasty bruising and severe strain to the muscles in his back, and he'll be in considerable pain while the muscles heal. He also has a mild concussion; we'll be keeping him overnight for observation, just in case." 

"Oh, thank God," Alan praised softly. 

"And I'm told that we can set you free of the monitors; it looks like you're just fine. You're free to go, but any dizziness, chest pain, pain or numbness in your arm, I want to see you back here. Deal?" 

"Yes, thank you, Doctor." Alan turned to his son. "See, I told you I was fine." 

Don just grinned in relief. 

"The nurse will be in to get those pads off you, and bring your release papers. Alright?" 

"Fine. Thanks again, Doctor." 

"You're welcome," the doctor replied, as he turned to leave. 

A few minutes later, a nurse bustled in, disconnected the wires and allowed Alan to remove the adhesive disks. She handed him a sheaf of paperwork, indicated where it needed to be signed, and, when questioned, promised to find out what room they would be taking Charlie to. A moment later, she returned, informing them that Charlie would be taken to the third floor. They were to ask at the nurses' station for further directions. 

When they reached the third floor, the nurse at the information desk helpfully took them to Charlie's room. The two men entered, hesitantly, preparing themselves for the sight of the youngest Eppes. Charlie was sleeping in the lone hospital bed, his dark curls flopping onto his pale forehead. Alan breathed a sigh of relief. As pale as Charlie looked, he looked ten times better than he did lying crumpled on the street. Alan took the chair by the bed, one hand finding and latching on to Charlie's. Don moved to stand at the opposite side. 

They stayed there, not saying much, just holding on to their youngest family member, for a long moment, before an insistent buzz interrupted. Don's cell phone was vibrating on his belt. 

"Eppes. You did? Good work. I'll be there in ten. Yeah, he's going to be okay. Concussion, pulled some muscles in his back. Yeah. Okay. Thanks, Terry." He closed the phone, and turned to his father. "Terry and David think they've found the guy that hit Charlie. We're going to go talk to him." 

"Isn't there a policy against cell phones in the hospital?" Alan asked, with a raise of his eyebrows. 

"We're not in the ER or ICU. This section is okay." 

"How do you know?" 

"I dated a nurse once. Listen, Dad, I gotta go." 

"You be careful, alright? One of you in the hospital is enough." 

"Don't worry, Dad. I'll be fine. I'll see you later, okay?" 

"Okay." Alan stood up, and moved to intercept his oldest son as he turned to leave. He wrapped Don in a tight hug. "I love you, son." 

Don hugged his father back, reminded of how this day could have ended. "I love you too, Dad. And tell the professor over there that I'll be back, alright?" 

"Sure thing," Alan promised, sitting beside his youngest son again. Things were going to be just fine. 

~end~

**Author's Note:**

> This was moved from the now defunct Cal Sci Library. Thanks to Wolfpup for maintaining it as long as she did and giving our Numb3rs fiction a home.


End file.
